Basket ball washing device

ABSTRACT

A washing machine for basket balls. This device includes a multiple number of electric motor-driven brushes which scrub the basket ball with a solution carried from the tube portion of the device onto the ball.

United States Patent [191 nnnnnnlixn Morris Jan. 2, 1973 541 BASKET BALL WASHING DEVICE 2,831,205 4/1958 Ernst ..15 21 A Inventor: Milan Samuel Morris, P o. BOX 3,103,677 9/l963 Gallant ..l5/2l A owner Colo 81080 Primary Examiner-Edward L. Roberts [22] Filed: April 12, 1971 211 App]. No.: 133,286 1 ABSTRACT A washing machine for basket balls. This device in- [52] U.S.Cl. ..15/21A cludes a multiple number of electric motor-drive" [51] Int. Cl. ..A63b 47/04 brushes which scrub the basket a with a s n [58] .Field of Search ..lS/2l R, 21 A, 56, 97 R carried from the tube portion of the device onto the ball.

[56] References Cited 1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figures UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,339,573 1/1944 Knipp ..l5/2l BASKET BALL WASHING DEVICE This invention relates to washing machines, and more particularly to a basket ball washing device.

It is therefore the primary purpose of this invention to provide a basket ball washing device which will include electric motor means for rotating a plurality of nylon brushes.

Another object of this invention is to provide a basket ball washing device which will have frame means of steel for supporting the motor and the pulley and belt members for rotating the brushes and one set of brushes revolves in a counter-clockwise direction so as to make the basket ball rotate and submit all of its outer periphery to the scrubbing action of the brushes.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device of the type described which will have a tub portion at the upper extremity of the frame which will carry the washing solution that will be picked up by the rotation of the device, onto the balls outer periphery.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a device which will have spring means to hold the brushes in engagement with the outer periphery of the ball when the device is turned on by switch means.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a basket ball washing device which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction, easy to use and efficient in operation.

These and other object will be readily evident upon a study of the following specification and the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 isa side view of the present invention showing the basket ball in phantom lines;

'FIG. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the motor and pulley arrangements of the instant invention.

According to this invention, a basket ball washing device 10 is shown to include an open steel frame 11 in which is secured an electric motor 12 upon a plate 13 and the lower extremity of the frame 11.

The shaft 14 of motor 12 has a pulley l fixedly secured thereto which carries an endless belt 16 which rotates a large diameter pulley 17.

Pulley 17 is secured to a shaft 19 having pulleys 18 secured thereto. Shaft 19 is rotatable within pillow blocks (not shown) on frame 1 l and a belt 20 is carried by each of the pulleys 18 and'serve to rotate a large diameter pulley 21.

Each of the pulleys 21 is secured fixedly to a shaft 22. Shafts 22 are rotatably supported within a pillow block 23 secured by suitable fasteners to the upper portion of frame 11.

A plurality of radially spaced apart arms 24 are secured to each of the shafts 22, the arms comprising four in number, and one of these arms being pivotable so that it maybe pivoted out of the way to allow space for introduction and placement of the basketball into the device.

Secured to arms 24 are concave nylon brushes 25 which serve to matingly engage with the outer periphery 26 of the basket ball 27 so as to impart a scrubbing action thereto when device is in operation.

A pair of flexible coil springs 28 are secured fixedly at one end, each to an oppositely opposed arm 24 and the opposite end is secured to an oppositely opposed ri id arm 24.

y aligning the two pivotable arms, one of which is carried on each end of the shafts 22, and moving them to the top of their rotational travel, one end of the springs 28 may be slided in a direction toward the pulleys 21 so to enable the pivotable arms to be pivoted upwardly and thus be out of the way so that basketball 27 can be removed from the device; the slidable end of the springs being hooked in an elongated slot along arms 24, as is shown in FIG. 1.

A tub member 29 is secured within the upper extremity of frame 1 l, the tub receiving the cleaning solution. When the basket ball 27 is placed within the concave brushes 25 of arms 24 the springs 28 are placed into position so as to urge the arms 24 against the outer periphery 26 of the ball 27.

It shall be noted that one of the belts 20 is twisted so as to rotate its pulley 21 in an opposite direction than that of the opposite pulley 21 of device 10. This action imparts an opposite rotation to one set of brushes 25 and causes the basket ball 27 to rotate between the brushes 25, thus submitting all of its outer periphery 26 to the scrubbing action of the brushes 25.

As the brushes 25 revolve, they pick up the cleaning solution from the tub 29 and carry it onto the ball and any excess solution will drain back into the tub 29.

The motor 12 is controlled by switch 30 mounted to frame 1 1.

It shall further be noted that the finely driven pulleys 21 are of large diameter so as to effectively reduce the speed of rotation of the brushes 25 thus reducing the chance of splatter of the solution.

What I claim is:

l. A basketball washing device, comprising in combination, a skeletal frame, an electric motor mounted on said frame, a pair of shafts journaled on opposite sides of said frame, said shafts being in axile alignment with each other, a space between the ends of said shaft, each of said shafts being rotatable by means of a pulley secured thereto, each of said pulleys by means of endless belts being rotatable, said belts being passed around pulleys on a drive shaft driven by said motor, each one of said axile aligned shafts having a rotatable unit secured there upon, each one of said units comprising a plurality of four radially extending arms, each one of said arms at its outer end having a brush secured thereto, each one of said arms being of angular configuration so that the other ends of said arms travel in a conical plane so to spin around a basketball positioned within said space between said shaft ends, each of said brushes being concavely shaped so to conform to the surface of said basketball, a tub secured upon said frame and being located below said units so that said units during rotation may travel therein, said tub being adaptable for containing a cleaning solution into which said brushes will dip during rotational travel, and one of said arms on each of said units being outwardly pivotable so to provide access for placement of said basketball into said space between said shaft ends, each one of said pivotable arms being normally retained in an inwardly pivoted position by means of springs. 

1. A basketball washing device, comprising in combination, a skeletal frame, an electric motor mounted on said frame, a pair of shafts journaled on opposite sides of said frame, said shafts being in axile alignment with each other, a space between the ends of said shaft, each of said shafts being rotatable by means of a pulley secured thereto, each of said pulleys by means of endless belts being rotatable, said belts being passed around pulleys on a drive shaft driven by said motor, each one of said axile aligned shafts having a rotatable unit secured there upon, each one of said units comprising a plurality of four radially extending arms, each one of said arms at its outer end having a brush secured thereto, each one of said arms being of angular configuration so that the other ends of said arms travel in a conical plane so to spin around a basketball positioned within said space between said shaft ends, each of said brushes being concavely shaped so to conform to the surface of said basketball, a tub secured upon said frame and being located below said units so that said units during rotation may travel therein, said tub being adaptable for containing a cleaning solution into which said brushes will dip during rotational travel, and one of said arms on each of said units being outwardly pivotable so to provide access for placement of said basketball into said space between said shaft ends, each one of said pivotable arms being normally retained in an inwardly pivoted position by means of springs. 